The present invention relates to devices for suspending articles, and more particularly, to labels including hangers and securable to articles.
It is often necessary or desirable to hang various articles from supports for storage and convenient access. For example, IV bottles and bags often must be suspended from stands for gravitational feed of the contents of the bottles or bags. Similarly, consumers often wish to hang bottles of shampoo, soap, suspension oils and the like in their showers or elsewhere. A number of hanging devices for such purposes have been proposed, including self-adhesive labels including integral hangers. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,125 to Andel et al. Additionally, some hanger devices are mechanically secured to an article, such as in the container and retractable hanger system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,497 to Davis.
It is desirable to minimize the cost of any such hanger, particularly in the case of relatively low cost consumer products such as shampoos and the like. However, it is also desirable to provide a hanger which will reliably suspend the article. In the case of hangers consisting of an open hook, there is the risk that the hanger will become dislodged from a support through the open portion of the hook. While closed loop hangers may obviate this risk, they limit the choice of supports to those having a free end over which the hanger may be looped. Commonly, consumers have a number of items in their shower which they wish to hang, but only a few suitable supports for closed loop hangers. Notably, a support having a free end (e.g., a showerhead) presents a risk that the hanger may fall off the support.
The present invention is directed to a label for suspending an article from a support. The label has a lower surface and includes an adhesive on the lower surface to secure the label to the article. The label further includes a hanger defining an opening therein and an interlock receiving portion. The interlock receiving portion has an interlock opening defined therein. An interlock tab is adapted to selectively engage the interlock opening to interlock with the interlock receiving portion to form a hanging loop.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the label as described above may include first and second opposed label ends and an intermediate region disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second label ends. The label includes an anchoring portion disposed adjacent the first label end and having a lower surface. The adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The hanger includes at least one primary leg having a leg end adjoining the anchoring portion and extending toward the second label end. The at least one primary leg defines the hanger opening and is foldable about the leg end. The hanger also includes a pair of opposed secondary legs each having a leg end adjacent the intermediate region and extending toward the second label end. The secondary legs define a secondary opening therebetween. The interlock receiving portion includes an interlock flap forming a part of the hanger and disposed within the secondary opening. The interlock flap is foldable about a flap end adjacent the intermediate region and includes the interlock opening defined therein adjacent the second label end. The interlock tab is integral with the secondary legs. The hanging loop includes the interlock flap and the secondary legs. Preferably, the at least one primary leg includes a pair of primary legs foldable about respective leg ends and defining the hanger opening therebetween.
According to other preferred embodiments, the label as first described above may include first and second opposed label ends and an intermediate region disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second label ends. The label includes an anchoring portion disposed adjacent the first label end and having a lower surface. The adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The hanger includes at least one primary leg having a leg end adjoining the anchoring portion and extending toward the second label end. The at least one primary leg defines the hanger opening therebetween and is foldable about the leg end. The hanger also includes a pair of opposed secondary legs each having a leg end adjacent the intermediate region and extending toward the second label end. The secondary legs define a secondary opening therebetween. The interlock receiving portion includes an interlock flap forming a part of the hanger and disposed within the secondary opening. The interlock flap is foldable about a flap end adjacent the second label end and includes the interlock opening defined therein adjacent the intermediate region. The interlock tab is integral with the secondary legs. The hanging loop includes the interlock flap. Preferably, the at least one primary leg includes a pair of primary legs foldable about respective leg ends and defining the hanger opening therebetween.
According to further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the label as first described above may include first and second opposed label ends and an anchoring portion disposed adjacent the first label end and having a lower surface. The adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The hanger includes at least one primary leg having a leg end adjoining the anchoring portion and extending toward the second label end. The at least one primary leg defines the hanger opening and is foldable about the leg end. The interlock receiving portion includes a body portion forming a part of the hanger and disposed between the primary opening and the second label end. The body portion includes the interlock opening defined therein and spaced apart from the second label end. The interlock tab is integral with the body portion. The hanging loop includes the body portion. Preferably, the at least one primary leg includes a pair of primary legs foldable about respective leg ends and defining the hanger opening therebetween.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the label as first described above may include first and second opposed label ends and an intermediate region disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second label ends. The label includes an anchoring portion disposed adjacent the first label end and having a lower surface. The adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The hanger includes at least one primary leg having a leg end adjoining the anchoring portion and extending toward the second label end. The at least one primary leg defines the hanger opening therebetween and is foldable about the leg end. The hanger also includes a pair of opposed secondary legs each having a leg end adjacent the intermediate region and extending toward the second label end. The secondary legs define a secondary opening therebetween. The interlock receiving portion includes a connecting portion forming a part of the hanger and connecting the primary legs. The connecting portion is disposed between the primary and secondary openings and adjacent the intermediate region and includes the interlock opening defined therein. The interlock tab is integral with the secondary legs. The hanging loop includes the connecting portion and the secondary legs. Preferably, the at least one primary leg includes a pair of primary legs foldable about respective leg ends and defining the hanger opening therebetween.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the label as first described above may include first and second opposed label ends and an anchoring portion having a lower surface. The adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The hanger includes a pair of opposed legs each having a leg end adjoining the anchoring portion and extending between the first and second label ends. The legs defme the hanger opening therebetween and are foldable about the respective leg ends. The interlock receiving portion includes an interlock flap disposed between the legs. The interlock flap has a first flap end adjoining the anchoring portion and an opposing second, free flap end. The interlock flap includes the interlock opening defined therein and is spaced apart from the second flap end. The interlock tab is integral with the interlock flap and is located on the second flap end. The hanging loop includes the interlock flap.
The present invention is further directed to a suspendable assembly including an article and a label having a lower surface. The label includes: an adhesive on the lower surface securing the label to the article; a hanger defining a hanger opening therein; an interlock receiving portion having an interlock opening defined therein, and an interlock tab adapted to selectively engage the interlock opening to interlock with the interlock receiving portion to form a hanging loop.
The present invention is further directed to a method for suspending an article from a support as follows. A label is secured to the article by an adhesive. The label includes: a hanger defining a hanger opening therein; an interlock receiving portion having an interlock opening defined therein; and an interlock tab. The interlock tab is interlocked with the interlock opening to form a closed hanging loop extending about the support and to the article.
The present invention is further directed to a label for suspending an article from a support. The label includes first and second opposed label ends and an intermediate region disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second label ends. The label has an anchoring portion having a lower surface. An adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The label further includes a first hanging flap, a second hanging flap and an interlock tab. The first hanging flap has a first flap end adjoining the anchoring portion adjacent the first label end and a second, free flap end disposed adjacent the intermediate region. The first hanging flap is foldable about the first flap end thereof and includes an interlock opening defined therein. The second hanging flap has a first flap end adjoining the anchoring portion adjacent the second label end and a second, free flap end disposed adjacent the intermediate region. The second hanging flap is foldable about the first flap end thereof. The interlock tab is integral with the second hanging flap. The interlock tab is adapted to selectively engage the interlock opening to interlock with the first hanging flap to form a hanging loop including the first and second hanging flaps.
The foregoing label may include a second opening defined in the second hanging flap, the interlock opening and the second opening being adapted to simultaneously receive the support. The label may include a pair of opposed supplemental flaps extending from the first hanging flap toward the second label end and a supplemental interlock opening defined in each of the supplemental flaps, the supplemental interlock openings adapted to interlock with the interlock tab. A hanging strip may be disposed between the first and second hanging flaps, the hanging strip defining an opening and including a pair of opposed ends adjoining the anchoring portion.
According to preferred methods of the present invention for suspending an article from a support, the anchoring portion of a label as described above may be secured to the article using the adhesive. The first and second hanging flaps are folded away from the article. The interlock tab is interlocked with the interlock opening to form a closed hanging loop extending about the support and to the article, the hanging loop including the first and second hanging flaps.
The present invention is further directed to a label as follows, the label includes first and second opposed label ends and an intermediate region disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second label ends. The label has an anchoring portion having a lower surface and an adhesive disposed on the lower surface of the anchoring portion. The label further includes first and second flaps and a pair of opposed interlock extensions. The first flap has a first flap end adjoining the anchoring portion adjacent the intermediate region and a second, free flap end disposed adjacent the first label end. The first flap is foldable about the first flap end thereof and includes an interlock opening defined therein. The second flap has a first flap end adjoining the anchoring portion adjacent the intermediate region and a second, free flap end disposed adjacent the second label end. The second flap is foldable about the first flap end thereof. The interlock extensions are integral with the second flap and are adapted to selectively engage the interlock opening to interlock with the first flap to form a loop including the first and second flaps.
According to preferred methods of the present invention for suspending an article from a support or securing an elongate object to the article, the anchoring portion of a label as described above may be secured to the article using the adhesive. The first and second hanging flaps are folded away from the article. The interlock tab is interlocked with the interlock opening to form a closed loop extending about the support or elongate object and to the article, the loop including the first and second hanging flaps.
Objects of the present invention will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the Figures and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present invention.